News You Can Use For
Fighting Joint Discomfort
A lifetime golfer visits her doctor complaining of
dif;culty climbing stairs and walking because of
soreness in her right knee.
The doctor says, “Well, you’re 60; this is part of
growing old.”
The astute patient replies, “My left knee is just as
old and it doesn’t hurt.”
Promoting good joint
health can help increase
quality of life and overall
well-being for years to
come. Still, it’s estimated
that 66 million Americans
– nearly one in three
adults – experience
some type of joint
discomfort, making it
difficult to dance, walk
up stairs or even hug
loved ones. However,
the growing body of scientific evidence is deflating the myth that
joint discomfort is a predictable and irrefutable symptom of aging.
Older adults can fight back.
s
maintaining a healthy weight and taking the right supplements
all play roles in joint health and slowing down cartilage wear.†
Participating in a regular exercise program that promotes strength
and flexibility is important, too.
The National Institutes of Health’s 2005 Glucosamine Chondroitin
Intervention Trial (GAIT), conducted over five years with more
than 1,500 patients, came to some significant conclusions. About
79 percent of study participants who had reported intermittent
moderate to severe discomfort had a 20 percent or greater
improvement in comfort with glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate
joint supplements.†, 1 More than 60 percent of the participants with
mild-to-moderate discomfort reported relief, but their response
was similar to medicated placebo. Clearly, for some people, the
combination of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate is a preferred
solution to improve joint comfort and function.†
Unlike other products, both glucosamine and chondroitin have
individually been shown to slow down and sometimes reverse
the loss of cartilage that leads to joint discomfort.† Glucosamine
(at the same dose as in Kirkland Signature™ Glucosamine
Chondroitin) was given to several hundred persons with knee
discomfort in two separate studies for three years.
2, 3 After three
years, people taking glucosamine had less cartilage loss, and half
of the subjects improved their cartilage structure. This shows that
consistent use of glucosamine for several years can help improve
cartilage structure, accompanied by feeling and moving better.†
While there is no cure for joint discomfort, there are ways
to lessen its effects and promote or maintain joint health.†
Here’s a closer look.
About 79 percent of study
participants who had reported
Joint Health Basics
moderate-to-severe discomfort
Joints are mechanical in nature and can become worn as the
smooth layer of cartilage cushioning the joint bones breaks
down over time. That effect can be made worse at the
cellular level where radical oxidants – structures similar to
the free radicals thought to be responsible for a laundry list
of aging issues, from weakening immune systems to hair
loss – can hasten the breakdown of cartilage.
had a 20 percent or greater
improvement in comfort with
glucosamine and chondroitin
sulfate joint supplements.
1
Similarly, chondroitin sulfate
given at 800 mg daily for
six months led to significant
improvements to cartilage
rebuilding.
4 After one year, bone
around joints showed more normal
structure. Additional studies with
chondroitin sulfate also found
slowing of cartilage loss after
two years.†, 5
According to experts, maintaining the cartilage you have,
supporting the normal joint lubrication system and staving off
these radical oxidants are key to ensuring joint health.†
As in so many other matters of health, eating a well-balanced diet,
So far, glucosamine and
chondroitin are the agents that
have been shown to slow loss of
cartilage during aging and actually rebuild cartilage in some people
with knee discomfort. Long-term, consistent use can help many
people with knee discomfort not only feel and move better, but also
have healthier joint structures.†
† These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
